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12 Angry Men (1957)

Rate: 10
Viewed: 9/13, 3/17

12am
9/13: Whoever wrote "the twelfth has no doubt of his innocence" on the back cover of the DVD case didn't either watch 12 Angry Men or understand what it's all about.

That wasn't the point of the discussion in the jury room. It's rather this: there was not enough conviction beyond a reasonable doubt the accused murdered his father. That's all there's to the story. By the way, it isn't the twelfth but the eighth juror who wasn't convinced enough of the boy's guilt.

Anyway, 12 Angry Men is a brilliant film that's entirely dependent on the script and performances of the actors. Minus the introduction and the end, the film borrows a Hitchcockian technique from Rope as it's shot almost entirely in one room sans a trip to the bathroom. It is and remains one of the hardest accomplishments by a director because the conversations have to be interesting enough to carry the film from start to finish. That's why My Dinner with Andre didn't work because of the boring dialogue.

The best part is the human side. Strangers come together and lay bare their flawed logical reasoning. Listening to a lot of speeches, it's apparent some of them are so wildly off the mark that they have nothing to do with the case itself. But that's okay because it's human nature. The ending is powerful because after what the jurors had accomplished as a group, they go their separate ways and never see each other again for the rest of their lives.

All in all, 12 Angry Men is an outstanding movie that paints a perfect picture how a jury should conduct itself and decide on the charges; in fact, it should be required viewing for all Americans before they're ready to be jurors.

3/17: If you want to see the greatest display of ensemble acting, look no further than 12 Angry Men.

It's one of the reasons why it is among the fifteen greatest films ever made. More importantly, 12 Angry Men is at its powerful best based on how the jurors attack different points of the case while putting aside their prejudice, racism, and emotions that have nothing to do with the facts. Bar none, it's the greatest example of how a jury works and should be required viewing for all Americans.

Again, it's not about whether the accused is guilty or innocent but whether there's enough reasonable doubt to find him guilty. If there's no doubt of it, then the guilty verdict should be rendered. Innocence is never part of the deal; one can get away with the crime because there isn't enough evidence to convict him.

All in all, 12 Angry Men is among the greatest pictures ever made.